North Brunswick Planning Board
says ‘yes’ to open space plan
US Home proposes
selling township front 38 acres of Otken Farm
NORTH BRUNSWICK — After much heated debate at a marathon session that stretched late into the evening last Thursday, a conflicted Planning Board voted to amend the township’s master plan to designate properties on the township’s open space wish list as "green," or open space.
The 6-3 vote reflected differing opinions among board members about what should be done with the Otken Farm, which some township officials are eyeing for a proposed sports complex.
The Otkens have repeatedly refused to sell the property to the township, citing a four-year contract with US Home to let the developer build an active adult residential community on the site.
US Home, who was represented by counsel and two licensed planners at the hearing, made a public offer to sell the township the front 38 acres of the property in exchange for approval for US Home to develop a scaled-down version of its proposed community.
The six board members voting in favor of the master plan amendment cited the scarcity of open space in the township and the importance of preserving what’s left.
"Once that land is gone, it is gone," said Township Councilman Leo Ryan, who sits on the Planning Board. "I’m not willing to give away 1 inch of any property that can be put into the open space inventory," he added.
"It is unfortunate that US Home is painting this as seniors against open space," Mayor David Spaulding said at the meeting, adding that in the long term, open space would be good for all residents of the town.
The three members of the Planning Board who voted against amending the master plan, Dan DiStefano, Joe Fritsche and Bob Davis, said they hoped that township officials would further scrutinize the new US Home proposal and the potential cost to the township to purchase a property such as the Otken Farm.
At the meeting, Fritsche said he was in favor of seeing the township sit down with US Home.
"Too many of my friends have moved out to these communities and would have loved to have stayed in North Brunswick," he said.
"I’m not sure everyone has a complete understanding of what this 100 acres would cost," said DiStefano, adding that there should be room to discuss a compromise about the Otken Farm.
In addition to the Otken Farm, the 49-acre DKM property on Route 1, a small tract next to the Applegate Playground on Tall Oaks Drive, and the 95-acre Pulda/Scaricta property round out the list of properties placed on the acquisition inventory in the Open Space and Recreation Plan released in October.
US Home contends that the township can still decrease its 152-acre deficiency in open space dedicated to active recreation use by acquiring the other three properties on the list and converting open space the township already owns, but which is dedicated to conservation and passive recreation, to active recreation use.
A suggestion by US Home that the township develop some of the property in the Farrington Lake Conservation Area for playing fields sparked some controversy among residents since the property is located near protected, environmentally sensitive wetlands.
"So you are suggesting that we take the trees down," Open Space Committee member Phil Sinicropi asked the planners who were testifying on US Home’s behalf.
"You are the judge and jury of what this community will look like," the US Home’s representative responded. "You as a board have to consider what you are throwing away here by amending the master plan."
US Home estimates that an adult community built on the full 105 acres would bring the township $1.9 million annually in additional tax revenue.